Delhi police on alert as Congress' all-India protest on inflation, unemployment to begin shortly
text_fields
The Congress party is staging a massive nationwide protest on Friday on inflation and unemployment. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs will hold a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" from Parliament, the party said in a statement
The party has decided to stage a pan-India protest on Friday and hold a demonstration outside the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, however, it was denied by the Delhi Police.
Despite no permission from the Delhi Police, the party leaders said that they will go ahead with their proposed protest march. Congress Working Committee (CWC) members and senior leaders will take part in "PM House gherao" while Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs will hold a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" from Parliament, the party said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the New Delhi district except for Jantar Mantar.
Citing the restrictions, the Delhi police has denied permission to the Congress for holding a protest in the national capital.
The Delhi traffic police have issued an advisory saying the traffic movement will be affected in parts of Lutyens' Delhi.
Delhi police say special arrangements have been made and diversions will be suggested as per expected spots of congestion on major roads.
"The manner in which the Narendra Modi government has set loose every central agency against opposition leaders show India is seeing the "onset of dictatorship", Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleged in a press conference this morning ahead of the big protest.
Congress has been continuously raising questions against the price rise and the hike in the Goods and Service Tax (GST). Congress MPs have been staging protests both inside and outside Parliament on these issues.
The protests come at a time when the Enforcement Directorate is questioning Congress president Sonia Gandhi and MP Rahul Gandhi over a case linked to the National Herald newspaper.
Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi said that he is "not afraid of Narendra Modi" and will not be "intimidated" by the ED action.